Indirect cooling system for buildings



R. K. BECKER INDIRECT COOLING 'SYSTEM FOR BUILDINGS Filed May 17, 1946Ill/Ill ll/ll ll/l/I/ Feb. 14, 1950 INVENTOR. 1 06157? K, fifc'At'K,

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Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDIRECT COOLINGSYSTEM FOR BUILDINGS Roger K. Becker, Evansville, Ind. pplication May17, 1946, SerialNo. 670,615

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an indirect temperature changing systempeculiarly applicable for cooling purposes insofar as the same isapplied to a "compartment, room or the like of a home or other buildingstructure.

Cooling by the direct application of a cooling medium, such as chilledair supplied to a room or the like and withdrawn therefrom, presentsnoobjectionable factors. However, when such cooling is desired and anindirect system is utilized, the results become progressivelyobjectionable the higher the temperature differential becomes and thehigher the relative humidity of the atmosphere of the room. This beingthe problem, the objection may be stated as follows: One or morewalls ofthe room or compartment are cooled for heat transfer through that wallso that the temperature in that room or compartment will belowered andwill be held at the desired temperature. Obviously, any circulation ofair in that room incident to its use or air flow from other rooms, etc.results in a temperature change in the air in that room and there alsooccurs relative humidit change since occupancy, of necessity, results inthe discharge of alveolar air coupled with moisture.

In an indirect cooling system, as is well-known, moisture-laden airengaging a cooling surface not only transfers heat-that surface butthere is also deposited on that surface or condensed from that air thewater vapor. The result is a sliming of floors and a sweating of wallsand ceilings on such surfaces as are of the heat abstracting character,more particularly.

-It willlbe obvious that any indirect system will result in progressiveincrease of condensation on the heat transferring surface of the room orcompartment. If the walls are painted the result may be failure ofthe'paint. If suchsurface be provided with a cover, such as canvas orpaper, the result is possible mildewing of the same. More objectionablethan that is the breaking down of the cementitious union between thatcovering and-the supporting Wall surface.

The chief object of the present invention is directedto the solution ofthe aforesaid problem and the removal of the aforementioned objection.The chief feature of the present invention resides in the inclusion inan indirect cyclic cooling system for a heat transferring surface of aroom or compartment, such surface being of semi-porous type, theporosity thereof being insumeient to pass any appreciable amount "of airof water vapor. Thus it may be said that within the terms of thisdisclosure only Water vapor is passed through the heat transferringwall.

It has been ascertained that opposite sides of such transferring wallare subjected to air pressures which are substantially equal whereasbpposite sides of said wall :are subjected to vapor pressures which aregenerally unequal, the problem and objection hereinbefore noted"beingisubstantially negligible when the vapor pressures aresubstantially equal, which condition seldom obtains.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that as the vaporpressures progressively differ the objection progressively increases, sothat the greater the temperature normal to the room or compartment to becooled and the greater "the relative humidity therein, the greater willbe the vapor pressure difference.

As stated, the present invention is directed to the elimination of thisobjection and :such elimination is accomplished by comparativelyiinexpensive means.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set'forth more fullyhereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will 'be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional indirectcyclic cooling system embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through a wall structure capable offunctioning as previously "set forth and an essential part of theinvention.

In Fig. l of the drawings 10 indicates a room having boundingsurfaces Hand this wall structure forms one wall of awplenum space or passage I2,the remainder thereof being indicated by the numeral l3. For example,the invention is shown applied to but a single room or compartment but,obviously, it may be extended to a plurality of rooms by having theresulting passageway or passageways l 2 connected inseries-or inmultiple or in series-multiple relation.

Herein the air is withdrawn from the plenum space lz through the conduitor passage 14 by means of a fan i5 and the resulting warmed air is thenforced through and over a cooling coil 15 and then passes tothedischarge passageway I! which connects to the several plenum passagesIda-foresaw. t

This acooling c connected to acombination condenser wcompressbr-unit ifthe coolin *5? tem is of that type and same is designated by the numeralI8. Iii designates an intermediate control and 2D designates the returnconnection from the coil to the compressor. 2| designates the motorwhich, as at 22, drives the compressor and which, as at 23, drives thefan. Thus a single motor can simultaneously drive both fan andrefrigerating unit.

Since the air drawn by the fan from the plenum space is moisture-laden,as will be more fully explained hereinafter, upon being cooled themoisture condenses on the coil and as it accumulates it can be removedby water showering or the like intermittently or at predeterminedintervals by means not shown herein. Such showering water and meltedfrost will waste from the drain 24 having the air. seal 25 in the formof a trap structure.

Fig. 1 illustrates a closed cycle system and it is obvious that theinterior wall or walls II are cooled by the circulating air stream. Thecontrol l9 can be automatically regulated, as well as the motor, toinsure circulation of the forced feed type of the cooling mediumwhenever the temperature rises above that set by the thermostat exposedto the room. Since the majority of the aforesaid apparatus isconventional, such as a thermostatic control for the motor and themember 19, it is believed that the same requires no furtherillustration.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 2. In this figure there is illustratedone embodiment of the wall structure comprehended within this invention.In this figure 30 indicates the joists or studs of such a wall structureto which is secured as at 3| by nails or other means, a surface formingmedium such as a metal sheet or a board 32. The other side of this wallis not illustrated. If Fig. 2 is representative of an interior wall, theopposite side will be similarly constructed. This means that the spacedesignated by the numeral 33 is a comparatively dead air space.

This is particularly true if Fig. 2 illustrates an outside wall. Incertain types of construction this space 33 then may be filled withinsulating material such as mineral wool, cork or the like, well-knownin the building industry.

Suitably secured as by welding, cementing or by other retaining means,or even by the anchoring members 3|, are the hangers 34. These may takeany desired shape. The wall structure indicated at H by way of exampleonly in Fig. l is herein illustrated, see Fig. 2, as comprised of metallath or the like 35, suitably secured at i spaced intervals to thespaced hangers 34. Secured to such metal lath or the like is an innerwall material 38. This may be conventional plaster, unpainted, having agrain structure which permits the flow of water vapor while restrainingthe flow of air.

This wall structure may also comprise plaster or gypsum board suitablysupported on a lath structure or on furring strips carried by thehangers. The interior room or compartment exposed surface of this wallstructure may have secured to it a covering material 31. This may bepaper mounted in the usual manner or may be canvas mounted in the usualmanner or may comprise a flat paint.

It is to be understood that the present invention does not contemplatethat this surface 37 will include a so-called varnished paper or'ahighgloss paint comprised of cross-brushed coats or cross-brushedvarnish or shellac coats, because these materials provide substantiallycompletely sealed surfaces or interpose a completely sealed layerthrough which it is impossible for the water vapor to pass, theprevention of vapor passage being directly opposed to the primaryobjective of this invention.

As previously set forth, there is a pressure differential between thevapor pressure in the plenum chamber or passage and that in the room.The wall structure H (see .Fig. 2) is subjected to a circulating airstream at a temperature below that of the room temperature. The roomdefined by the wall ll gives up its heat thereto and the heat istransferred to the air stream. Thus the wall H is invariably cooler thanthe room atmosphere and, were it not for the vapor passing type ofconstruction of the wall ll, water vapor would condense and collect onthat wall. However, due to the semi-porosity thereof, and due to thepressure differential of the vapor pressures in the plenum space and theroom, water vapor does pass through the wall I! and does enter the airstream. Thus water does not condense and collect on the interior or roomside of the Wall ll. This moistureladen, slightlyavarmed air of thecooling air stream, is drawn by the fan l5 to the cooling mechanism andthen forced over and through the same and then recirculated.

In passing through the coil and the like, the moisture is removed sothat the vapor pressure in the discharge I1 is different from the vapordischarge in the intake [4 and, of course, both are difierent from thevapor pressure in the room Ill.

Whenever desired or required, for example, there may be included in thecooling chamber. designated by the numeral 29, a dehumidifying unit suchas a calcium chloride container positioned over the drain 24. In thatevent, of course, there will be little or no frosting of the coolingcoil and all that would be required would be for the cooling chamber 29to be provided with a door to permit the householder to obtain access tothe interior for weekly or monthly replenishment of the calcium chloridesupply only, the waste, as it accumulates, draining to drain IL-25.

While the invention. has been illustrated and described in great detailin the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be consideredas illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein, as well as others which willreadily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all areconsidered to be within the broad scope of the invention. referencebeing had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is: I

1. A system of indirect cooling and dehumidifving of a room and the likehaving a defining wall with one side exposed to the room and an oppositeside, comprising directly subjecting the opposite side to a cooling anddehumidifying air stream without substantial transfer through the wallof air to and from the room and from and to the air stream respectively,said wall having physical charactertistics permitting substantiallywater vapor transfer only from the room to the air stream andtransference of heat from the room to the air stream.

2. A system of indirect cooling and dehumidification including incombination a substantially closed cycle circulating cooling air streamproviding means, a room defining walls, each wal 5 6 having a roomexposed side and an opposite side, vapor pressure differential in theair stream print the sides being subjected to air pressures incit0re-circulating of the air. dent to room atmosphere and the air stream,ROGER K. BECKER. which air pressures are substantially equal, the sidesalso being subjected to vapor pressures, the 5 REFERENCES CITED roomVapor pressure being generally greater than The following references areof record in the that of the air stream vapor pressure resulting file ofthis patent: in a flow of moisture from the room air to the room wall,said wall having physical character- UNITED STATES PATENTS isticspermitting substantially water vapor trans- 10 Number Name Date fer onlyfrom the room to the air stream and heat 1,4963% Haden Feb 14, 1922transfer but without any substantial air trans- 2,039,261 Hopkins Aug 101937 fer from the room to the air stream, and means 2,191659 Hintze Feb1940 for removing from the air stream, remote from 2 324 971 WoodwardJuly 20 1943 the room, the moisture transferred therefrom 15 2364220Johnson Dec 1944 and from the air stream for reestablishing the

